Emergency Assistance

Nearly every day, AFP&CC receives a phone call, sees a news report or opens a personal letter and learns of another fallen hero who has sacrificed his or her life in the line of duty somewhere in the United States. As heart wrenching as this news is for our organization, it is even more devastating to the fallen officer’s family and loved ones. The sorrow can be unmanageable and the grief overpowering for spouses, children, siblings and parents. AFP&CC helps survivor families cope with their pain by sending money for grief counseling and emergency assistance as soon as word is received about the officer's death.

The AFP&CC Summer Camp Program offers sons and daughters of fallen officers scholarships to be used for summer camp tuition at the camp of their choice. AFP&CC offers this opportunity to hundreds of children each year and with further support from major donors hopes to increase the amount of support available.

Awards Program

The American Police Hall of Fame National Awards Program was started more than 40 years ago to fill the void of recognition for worthy American law enforcement officers. The vast majority of recognition law enforcement officers receive is negative press in the local news. It is not often that their good deeds get noticed and are rarely mentioned. An awards program counteracts this skewed public image and can have long reaching effects. Awards are the best way to make the officer aware that he/she is appreciated and a valuable asset to American society.

Our Commitment

Often when a family is shattered by the tragic loss of their police officer, AFP&CC actually becomes family. How? By being there year after year. With emergency financial assistance. Birthday and holiday gifts for the children. Gifts on Mothers’ Day and Fathers' Day. Never, ever forgetting the sacrifice made by their hero in blue.

AFP&CC has made a sacred promise to never turn away a family survivor whose police officer was killed in the line of duty. We now serve over 10,600 police family survivors with our nationwide program.

Each year, AFP&CC awards hundreds of scholarships to surviving sons and daughters of police officers killed in the line of duty. This nationwide program provides assistance to high school graduates attending a traditional four-year college, university, technical or vocational institution.

A Survivor's Story

The following story underscores the devastation these families experience.

Nine years ago this wife and mother of two boys lived the nightmare of losing her husband when he was killed in the line of duty during the pursuit of a stolen car.

She will never forget that terrible night and says, “My husband loved his job. He ate, slept, and lived for his job for 13 years. When he was killed, there went my life! Our boys were young – just five and nine years old – and couldn’t understand what had happened to their daddy!’

She remembers, “It took a good year for me to sort everything out. Oh, there were several organizations that helped, but only one stayed with our family year after year. That was AFP&CC’s Family Survivors Fund. They never forgot us. Never. The boys received birthday and Christmas gifts every year. Being a single mom, those remembrances mean the world to me now. Why, AFP&CC really became our family.”

“When we’d go to the grave site on Fathers’ Day, we would always say, ‘We’ll never forget you, Daddy.’ And then we’d say, ‘Thank you AFP&CC for never forgetting, either. You are our lifeline to hope.’”

In addition to parents, children, spouses and siblings, officers killed in the line of duty leave behind another type of family – their fellow officers. The death of an officer is not just the death of a friend, but also a chilling reminder of the danger and sacrifice associated with law enforcement. AFP&CC understands that the loss of a fellow officer deeply affects the entire department. Each year, on the one year anniversary of the officer’s death, to honor the fallen hero and to acknowledge the personal effect the loss has on fellow officers, AFP&CC sends flowers of remembrance. These flowers are sent to both the officer’s family and to the agency the officer served with.

Gift Programs

Thanks for Remembering

Dear APHF,

The Missouri State Highway Patrol received the packet you sent in regard to the line of duty death of Trooper Frederick F. Guthrie, Jr.

As you can imagine, this has been a very difficult time for the family, friends and coworkers of Trooper Guthrie. He was a man of conviction who spent his adult life serving Missouri’s citizens and those visiting our state. The information in the packet will be delivered personally to Trooper Guthrie’s family.

I want to especially thank you for the monetary donation to the Guthrie family. Although no amount of money can take the place of a loved one, it helps to alleviate the financial burdens placed on a family during this stressful time. I appreciate the gesture very much, and I am sure the family appreciates it more than we will ever know.

Trooper Guthrie’s death marks the loss of thirty officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the citizens of Missouri as a member of the State Highway Patrol. The loss of a law enforcement officer is never easy. However, Trooper Guthrie’s family and the Patrol have received widespread support. On behalf of the Missouri State Highway patrol and the family of Trooper Guthrie, I would like to thank you for recognizing his sacrifice. Your sympathy and generosity are greatly appreciated.

On average, one police officer is killed in the line of duty every 57 hours. The American Police Hall of Fame & Museum engraves the names of these brave officers every year prior to May 15th, Police Memorial Day.